Falling Apart
by ninjanervana
Summary: All human AU. When Clary gets attacked at a college party, she relies on Jace to comfort her through the night. One-shot, possible two-shot.


Hello readers! It's been a while since I've written a Mortal Instruments story, but after reading some fan fiction this idea popped into my head. I hope you all enjoy and remember I don't own anything.

-ninjanervana

* * *

"Holy shit, this is Aline's house?" Clary gasped, her green eyes wide in amazement as Isabelle turned off the car. She knew Aline's parents were rich – her dad was the police chief and her mom ran a law firm- but she hadn't expected the two-story brick mansion with the massive front garden. "Are you sure this is the right house?" Even as the words left her mouth, she knew it was a silly question. Music blasted from the speakers placed near open windows along the first floor, the booming bass filling the night air with the latest songs. Small lanterns were planted along the wide stone pathway that led to the house, illuminating the smooth grey bricks. The street was filled with parked cars; those who couldn't find parking had chosen to park on the lawn. The interior of the house was filled with people; dozens more sat on the front porch, enjoying the warm night air.

Isabelle nodded as she stepped out of the car, adjusting her mini skirt. She glanced at her reflection in the side mirror, assuring everything was as she liked, before locking the car. "Aline throws the best parties. Better than the frat parties we usually go to," she assured Clary. "Usually the cops don't show up."

"Usually," Clary muttered to herself. She rolled her eyes, rubbing her sweaty palms against her high-waisted jeans. She never understood why she let Isabelle drag her into these situations. She hated crowds, especially crowds of people she didn't know. Sure, everyone at the party would be from their college, but besides Aline, Helen, and her own friends, she didn't know anyone else. She wasn't the social butterfly that Izzy, Jace, or even Alec was. But Izzy had insisted that they had to go, it was the start of their last spring break. If there was ever a time to drink and dance the night away, Izzy thought it was now. And Clary couldn't deny that she had a point. The past few weeks at Alicante University had been tough on Clary, filled with sleepless nights and endless work. She needed to unwind desperately, even if she resisted Isabelle's methods.

 _'At least I'm mostly clothed this time,'_ she thought with a sigh. An inevitable consequence of going to parties with Isabelle was being on the receiving end of an usually unwanted Isabelle makeover. The first few times it happened, Clary had been forced into too short skirts and extremely low cut tops. After the fourth or fifth time, Clary put her foot down, taking back some wardrobe control. Tonight she was wearing a pair of black high-waisted jeans, a strappy emerald green crop top, and a pair of heeled boots. Clary had pleaded for her boots – she was clumsy enough barefoot- but that meant she was forced into the crop top as part of the bargain. Compared to Isabelle, wearing a red mini skirt, tight, black top, and heels, Clary was sure she looked like a nun.

"Well, no point in standing around here waiting," Isabelle declared as she started walking up the brick path to the house. "The boys said they'd be here in an hour."

Clary snorted as she walked beside Isabelle, teetering in her heeled boots as she tried to keep up. "That's what they get for waiting until the last minute to finish their project. Jace and Simon are lucky the professor gave them an extension," she replied. "Or they would have failed the class."

"Mom would have murdered Jace in a heartbeat," she laughed, her hips swaying as she walked up the front steps, waving at the people who greeted her.

 _'How does she do that?'_ Clary wondered, gripping the banister tightly as she carefully ascended the stairs. "Alec and Magnus here?"

"Yeah, Magnus is bartending so Alec won't be too far away."

"I swear Magnus is going to be bartending every college party in this city, even if he graduated last year," Clary commented.

The pair made their way thought the densely packed house filled with college students. The living room was turned into a dance floor, the couches and coffee table pushed back against the walls to make space. Bodies were packed against each other, moving to the pounding beat. Off to the side of the living room was the kitchen; a group of people had set up beer pong on the counter top. Clary could feel the bass of the music vibrating in her chest, the strobe lights temporarily blinding her as they made their way across the living room. Sweaty bodies moved around her, jostling her as she tried to walk. She sighed in relief as they finally reached the bar set up against the back wall near the staircase. She threw herself onto an empty bar stool, smiling at Magnus.

"If it isn't my two favorite girls," Magnus greeted them with a grin, handing a beer to a guy standing next to Clary. A loosely packed crowd had formed around the bar, people coming and going with their drinks as Magnus passed them out. Magnus was known around town as the best bartender for a house party and he certainly lived up to his name with the speed and tastiness of his drinks.

"Hey Mags," Isabelle replied, leaning her arms against the bar top. "Where's my brother?"

Magnus waved his hand vaguely at the dance floor. "Braving the masses to find some water."

Clary gasped dramatically, "Serving something non-alcoholic? I never thought I'd see the day."

"Eventually the time will come when someone is trying to sober up their drunk best friend and water will be needed," Magnus laughed as he continued mixing drinks. He filled a plastic cup with a red liquid from the dispenser behind him, handing it to Clary. "Drink that."

"It's not a Magnus special, is it?" Isabelle asked warily. "Last time Clary had that, Jace had to carry her up to the dorm."

Clary shoved Isabelle's shoulder half-heartedly. "Like we haven't done that for you before," she retorted before turning back to Magnus. "It's not a Magnus special, right?"

Magnus sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes. "You both would have made poor Alices; did she stop and question the bottle that said drink me?"

"She probably should have," Clary replied. "Would have saved her a lot of trouble."

He heaved another sigh, shaking his head. "It's not a Magnus special. Alec made me promise not to make that anymore," he pouted. "This is jungle juice."

"And what is in jungle juice?" Clary questioned, taking a cautious sip before handing the cup to Isabelle. She coughed as the alcohol burned its way down her throat, making her eyes water slightly.

"Forty percent vodka, sixty percent juice," he explained with an impish grin. "It's fantastic."

Clary coughed again before clearing her throat. "I think you confused your proportions," she replied. "And this is what you're serving the masses tonight?"

Isabelle laughed, "If that's the case, everyone will be shit-faced before the end of the night. Pour me a cup, please?"

"Hey guys," Alec huffed as he carried a large case of water behind the counter, panting slightly. He said the case down with a thud, leaning against the counter. "What'd Magnus convince you to drink?"

"Jungle juice," Clary replied, giving him a brief hug.

Alec groaned loudly as he turned to hug his sister. "Someone's gonna have to carry you guys back to the dorms," he sighed. "Again."

"That sounds like Simon and Jace's problem," Magnus decided with a shrug, handing Isabelle her cup. "You'll be sleeping at my apartment and what good are boyfriends if they don't carry their drunk girlfriends home."

"We'll be fine," Izzy assured Alec, quickly downing her drink and holding it out to be refilled. "You have such little faith in us."

Alec snorted in response. "You act like I haven't held your hair back while you puked or carried your drunk ass home before. We've been doing this since you turned 18, Izzy. I'm a pro at knowing when you'll be drunk."

"I do so love when they get like this," Magnus chuckled as the siblings bickered playfully. "Did you finish your painting before Izzy dragged you out?"

Clary shook her head, feeling her face warm from the alcohol. "I thought I'd have more time, but Izzy showed up early and you know how she gets. Maybe I'll finish tomorrow."

"Depending on how hungover you are," Magnus laughed. "Wait and see."

Time flew by quickly among the small group, their attention divided between talking, drinking, and dancing when Isabelle insisted on dragging Clary and Alec onto the dance floor. By the time Clary spotted Jace walking through the house two hours later, his blond hair glowing in the darkened room, she was well into her drinks. She wasn't sure she ever saw the bottom of her cup; every time she turned around, Magnus was refilling her cup. Her face was flushed and warm, her body was relaxed, and her head was slightly fuzzy from the alcohol.

"Jace," Clary giggled excitedly as he approached her, stumbling as she climbed off her stool. No matter how much time she spent looking at him, she could never get over how good looking Jace was. Even dressed simply in a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled and dark jeans, he looked like he walked out of a magazine.

"Hey there," Jace laughed, resting his hands on her waist to steady her. He took in her flushed face and slightly bleary eyes, shaking his head in amusement, before kissing her lips lightly. "Magnus special?" he asked the group as he tucked Clary against his side, his arm wrapped around her waist protectively.

Magnus huffed indignantly, turning to pour a drink for a girl waiting by the bar.

"Jungle juice," Alec explained with a grin.

"Yikes," Jace laughed as he led Clary back to the stool. "That'll be fun tomorrow. Maybe we should get them some water." He glanced over at Izzy as she leaned into Simon's side, looking more intoxicated than Clary. "Or at least no more jungle juice."

"No, no, no, I'm fine," Clary slurred slightly, picking up her half-finished cup of jungle juice.

Magnus laughed as he refilled Isabelle's cup. "In for a penny, in for a pound. One more drink won't hurt them."

Jace snorted, his hand resting lightly on Clary's lower back. "I'll remind you of that while I'm holding Clary's hair back."

"Jace is no fun," Isabelle declared, tugging Simon's hand lightly. "Let's go dance, Si."

"This will end well," Simon muttered, setting his barely touched beer on the bar.

"Want one?" Alec offered Jace, holding out a beer to him.

He shook his head regretfully. "I'm designated driver for the tonight. And I'm gonna end up carrying Clary at some point."

Clary smacked his arm lightly, "I can walk fine."

"Clary darling, you can't walk properly when you're sober," Magnus laughed.

"Watch me," she replied confidently, draining her cup of jungle juice. She held out her empty cup to Magnus, grinning. "One more."

* * *

If Jace thought Clary was fascinating while she was sober, it was nothing compared to when she was drunk. From the moment he spotted her sitting at the bar, he knew she was well on her way to being piss-drunk. Her bright red curls were escaping the hair clip that held them away from her face, the strands glowing like an ember in the dark. Her porcelain skin was flushed from the alcohol, her entire face slightly pink. She laughed loudly at something Magnus had said, her head tilting back; for a moment, it looked like her entire body would tip off the bar stool. Whose bright idea was it to put her on a chair that didn't have a back; she'd fall off and break her neck.

Despite his worry for her and the massive headache he knew was coming her way in the morning, Jace was glad to see her finally relaxing. She had been overworked for weeks, struggling to balance between school and her job at the local bookstore. She even talked in her sleep about it. To see her happy and laughing without the faint look of worry on her face was a relief. What did it matter if he had to carry her back to the dorms.

Jace hung around the bar with the rest of their group, his hand resting lightly on Clary's back to keep her upright. He didn't care much for dancing if he couldn't dance with his girlfriend. Even with her in boots, he wouldn't trust her to stand with the amount of alcohol in her petite frame. No, he'd much rather hang around with his friends, make fun of Simon's dancing, and talk with whoever he knew around him. Everyone came to the bar for a drink, stopping for a few minutes to talk before going back to their own friends. He thought it was a pretty good way to spend the night.

"Jace, Alec, I need help," Aline called loudly as she made her way over to the bar, squeezing through groups of people. She huffed slightly as she fixed her top, swaying on her feet as she looked at the group. "Clary, do you mind if I borrow them? I ordered some food and I need help bringing it in. Would you guys mind?"

Clary shook her head, gesturing for them to go. "I'll be here."

Jace kissed Clary's cheek lightly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Try not to fall over while I'm gone," he teased before following after Aline and Alec.

"Bring me back food!" Clary shouted with a giggle. She spun her chair back toward Magnus, her hands gripping the bar as the room spun around her. "Whoa."

"You alright there, Claire bear?" Magnus asked worriedly. He grabbed a bottle of water, handing it over to her. "Drink that."

Clary nodded, brushing a hand through her hair. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom first. It's upstairs, right?" she asked, setting the water on the bar.

Magnus nodded slowly, "Why don't you take Izzy with you? I don't want you falling down the stairs or something."

She rolled her eyes as someone walked over to the bar, drawing Magnus's attention away from her. _'Izzy is busy with Simon. I can handle going to the bathroom by myself,'_ she thought with a snort, her hand gripping the banister tightly as she walked up the stairs. She reached the top of the stairs without incident, but frowned in dismay as she saw the row of closed doors.

With a sigh, she began opening the doors along the hallway, her feet dragging against the plush hall carpet. The first two doors opened into empty bedrooms, illuminated by the bright hallway light. The third door she opened was also a bedroom, but it wasn't empty. "Oops," Clary giggled as the hallway light shone on the blond-haired boy sitting on the bed. _'Jace's hair is nicer,'_ she thought distractedly, comparing Jace's golden hair to the boy's nearly white hair. "Sorry, I'm- I'm looking for the bathroom," she slurred slightly.

"It's the next door," the boy answered, pointing his thumb toward the wall beside her.

"Oh thanks," she said with a smile, moving on to the next door. She quickly used the toilet, grimacing when she saw her reflection in the mirror while she washed her hands. "Clary Fray, you are drunk," she muttered, attempting to tame her curls with her damp hands. She gave up after a few minutes, huffing slightly as she opened the bathroom door.

"Oh," Clary gasped in surprise as she opened the bathroom door, surprised to find the same blond-haired guy leaning against the wall beside the door. "I'm sorry; did I take long?"

The boy shook his head, smiling at her. "It's fine; I don't need to use the bathroom."

Clary's brow wrinkled in confusion as she stared at him. "Ah, uh, okay then," she mumbled as she stepped into the hallway.

"I'm Sebastian, Sebastian Verlac," he introduced himself, offering his hand.

"I'm Clary Fray," she replied, shaking his hand briefly before resting it against the wall for support as she walked.

"I know. You're Jace Herondale's girlfriend, right?"

Clary nodded, closing her eyes momentarily as the hallway tilted sickeningly. She wasn't shocked he knew about Jace; he was an incredibly popular guy. "Do you know Jace? Do you go to –" Her words were cut off as Sebastian slapped a hand over her mouth, his other hand gripping her arm roughly as he pulled her into an empty bedroom.

* * *

"Where's Clary?" Jace asked Magnus as he set a slice of pizza on the bar counter.

"She went to the bathroom with Izzy," he replied, gesturing at the ceiling with his chin as he mixed drinks.

Jace shook his head slowly, turning around to look at the dance floor. "No, Izzy is dancing with Simon; I can see them," he said worriedly as he spotted the pair. His stomach clenched into knots as he watched Isabelle laugh with Simon, tugging on his hand. Even drunk Izzy wouldn't have left Clary alone if she had been with her. "I knew I saw them earlier when me and Alec came back in."

Magnus muttered a curse under her breath. "I told that girl to take Izzy with her before her drunk self fell down somewhere."

"I'm gonna go find her," he replied, shoving through groups of people as he made his way to the stairs. His hands began sweating as he took the stairs two at a time, his heart pounding as he thought of all the things that could have happened to her. _'Please don't tell me you fell down and hit your head somewhere,'_ he thought fearfully. He headed straight for the bathroom, pounding on the door twice before opening it. His stomach sank as his eyes scanned the empty bathroom, his panic growing. "Shit shit shit shit, where are you, Clary?" he muttered to himself as he stepped out of the bathroom. _'She wasn't by the bar and she wasn't in the kitchen and I don't think she was dancing. Maybe she laid down on one of the beds.'_

Jace began throwing open the doors along the hallway, his heart beating faster with every empty bedroom he found. "Oh shit," he murmured as he opened another door, the hallway light shining into the darkened room, revealing a couple lying on the bed together. He could just barely make out the guy's silhouette, his broad shoulders dwarfing the girl beneath him. He tried to close the door quickly, hesitating as he saw a flash of red hair on the bed. There was only one person he knew who had hair that red. Feeling along the wall, he located the light switch, flooding the room with light.

"CLARY!" Jace shouted in horror. He crossed the room in three long strides, yanking the blond haired man off of her. His golden eyes quickly took in her appearance: the smudged makeup, the tears rapidly flowing down her face, the bright red mark on her cheek, her torn top revealing one of her breasts, the trembling of her body, before turning his rage toward the blond haired man. Jace's fist collided with his nose, the punch so intense it tore his shirt as it knocked him to the floor. Jace quickly followed after him, fueled by the uncontrollable rage that filled him. Grabbing the front of the man's shirt in one hand, his other fist began pounding into his face, his vision turning red. "HOW DARE YOU LAY HANDS ON HER!" he roared, punctuating each word with a punch.

He was unaware of anything around him, not the blond man's feeble attempts to fight back, not Clary sobbing on the mattress, not the shouting from the hallway. All he knew was he needed to return the pain he caused Clary one thousand fold. When hands gripped his arms, trying to pull him away the man, he fought against their hold, his arms and legs flailing. He didn't know who was holding onto him or why; all he knew as he had to get loose. "I'LL KILL HIM!" Jace shouted, struggling to free himself.

"JACE, CLARY NEEDS YOU!" Alec shouted in his ear, momentarily stunning him. "You need to stop!"

Jace snapped out of his rage at Alec's words, looking around at who had come into the room. Alec and Simon were each holding onto an arm, their grip remaining tight even though Jace's body stopped struggling. Isabelle was sitting on the bed beside Clary, holding her close as Clary's petite frame shook from the force of her sobs. Magnus stood behind the pair of girls, his expression murderous as he rested his hand lightly on Clary's head. "Clary," Jace murmured, his heart breaking for her. "Let me go, let me go, I have to go to her."

Alec and Simon hesitated for a moment, glancing at each other before releasing Jace. The blond guy on the floor looked unconscious; at least they didn't have to worry about him running. They could always pull Jace off of him again if they needed to, not that they'd want to.

Jace rushed over to Clary the moment he was released, climbing onto the bed in front of her. "Clary," he said sadly, reaching out to stroke her red hair lightly. "Oh Clary baby."

Clary looked up as he spoke, her eyes bloodshot from tears. "J-Jace," she choked out, launching herself at his chest. She pressed her face into his neck as she cried, the tears rapidly dripping down his neck and soaking the collar of his shirt. "Jace."

"Shhh, I'm here," he crooned as he pulled her onto his lap, his arms wrapping around her tightly. His throat was tight with his own tears, barely allowing him to speak. He rocked her gently, his face pressed against her red curls. "I'm here now; you're safe. I won't let anything hurt you. I'm here."

"I-I want to g-go home," Clary sobbed, gripping the front of his shirt tightly. "Take me h-home."

Jace nodded, brushing his lips along her forehead. He needed to get her out, get her somewhere safe. "I'll take you home; we'll go right now," he promised her. He glanced over at the blond man's limp body before looking over at his friends.

"We'll take care of him," Magnus said with a feral grin. "You take care of our girl."

Simon nodded in agreement, wrapping his arm around Isabelle's waist. "Take her back to our dorm; I'll stay with Izzy tonight. Clary's gonna need you."

"Do you need my car?" Alec asked, his blue eyes darkened with sadness as he looked down at Clary. "Did you bring your bike?"

Jace shook his head as he smoothed down Clary's hair. "No, I have the car. Just make sure everyone gets home safe, alright? Let Aline know what happened."

Isabelle nodded, brushing away her own tears. "Don't worry; we'll take care of everything."

"Come on, Clary; let me take you home," Jace murmured as he pulled her face away from his neck, wiping her tears. He carefully helped her to her feet, his arm wrapped around her waist. A soft, fearful, whimper left Clary's lips as her top began to slip down, her hand gripping the torn fabric closed as her green eyes filled with tears again. He quickly whipped off his dress shirt, slipping it over Clary's head. Tears ran down her cheeks steadily, her green eyes wide with fear. "Are you ready?" he asked gently, tucking her against his side, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

Clary nodded jerkily, sniffling as she tried to control her tears. "Take me home," she whispered.

* * *

The drive back to the dorms was silent; Jace was unsure of what to say and Clary was unable to get the words out. She held onto his hand tightly the entire drive, the occasional tear slipping down her cheeks as her body trembled. She knew she had to regain control of her emotions; she just didn't know how to do it. She felt like a snow globe someone had shaken, waiting for all the snow and glitter to resettle. Her legs were shaky as they walked from the car to Jace's dorm, her body leaning into Jace's body heavily.

The halls of the dorm were empty, their footsteps echoing quietly in the hall. Almost everyone had gone home for spring break, something Jace was incredibly grateful for. In a matter of minutes, they were in the room he shared with Simon. "Clary baby," Jace murmured as he shut the door to his dorm room, flicking on the light.

Clary stood in the middle of his dorm room, a room she had been in almost every day that school year, looking absolutely lost. Her green eyes locked onto his, filled with fear and sorrow. "Yes?" she whispered, her arms crossed over her chest.

His heart broke as he watched his girlfriend, his eyes echoing her sadness. He would do anything to take away the pain and fear in her eyes. "God, can I hold you for a bit?" he pleaded, his voice cracking.

"Please," she answered as her eyes began to fill with tears. "Please, I need you."

Jace immediately wrapped his arms around her, cradling her against his chest as his hands rubbed her back gently. "I'm here, Clary; you're safe," he murmured, kissing the top of her head as he closed his eyes. He could feel her body shaking as she began to cry again, her hands clenched against his chest. He wasn't sure how long he stood there holding her, his arms tightening occasionally as if he could hold together the pieces she felt were broken.

"I'm sorry," Clary said hoarsely as her tears finally ceased; whether because she had calmed down or she was simply out of fluids to cry, she wasn't sure. "Jace, I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" he asked, confused.

She sniffled quietly, her hands wiping her cheeks. "About what happened," she explained quietly, her eyes focused on his bare chest. "Magnus told me to t-take Izzy with me, but I didn't want to bother her. If I had listened to him-"

"Clary, stop," he said firmly, ducking his head so he could look into her eyes. Like hell he was going to let her think any part of this shit situation was her fault. "This is not your fault. None of this was your fault."

"But if-"

"No buts," Jace interrupted her. "This is not your fault. It's that asshole's fault. But you are not to blame. I don't blame you; no one blames you. And I don't want you blaming yourself, alright?"

Clary frowned for a moment before nodding hesitantly. "Okay," she whispered.

Jace could sense the uncertainty in her words and knew this wouldn't be the end of this conversation. As much as he wanted to press her about it, he knew now was not the best time for it. Instead he cupped her cheeks, kissing her lightly. "Let me take you to bed," he murmured. "I know you could use some sleep and I need to hold you a little more."

She nodded in agreement, taking a deep breath. "Can you find me some clothes while I wash my face?" she asked, stepping out of his arms. "I want to change."

"Yeah, I'll find something you can wear," he answered easily, watching her for a moment before turning toward the dresser. "You know where to find the extra towels."

As the bathroom door closed quietly, Jace slumped against the dresser, his head resting atop the wooden surface. Seeing Clary so shattered tore him apart, made him want to stomp that blond asshole's face into the ground. But his anger wasn't going to help Clary at the moment. The last thing he ever wanted was to make her afraid of him. Shaking his head, he tumbled through his drawers, pulling out an oversized t-shirt and a pair of shorts for Clary before pulling on his pajamas.

"Jace?" Clary called from the bathroom, opening the door a crack. "The clothes?"

"I've got it," he replied, carrying the clothes over to her as she opened the door wider. Clary's eyes were red-rimmed, but her face was clean of the makeup she wore earlier, all traces of the smudged eyeliner and streaky mascara washed away. He frowned as he took in the red mark on her cheek, his thumb caressing it lightly.

Clary took a shaky breath, her eyes closing for a moment as if she was bracing herself. "He hit me," she said quietly, answering his unspoken question. "When I screamed and scratched him."

Jace's eyes darkened with anger, his hand clenching by his side. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, he leaned forward, brushing his lips against the bruise, wishing his love and tender touch could make it disappear. "Get changed and come to bed with me," he murmured, handing her the clothes before shutting the bathroom door.

By the time Clary came out of the bathroom, Jace had better control over his emotions. He sat on the side of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he tossed his phone onto the nightstand. "Everyone's got home safe," he said, looking up as she walked over to him. Her petite frame looked even smaller in his clothes, more vulnerable than his feisty redhead had ever seemed. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms and protect her from the world, from all the awful things that could happen to her. From the awful thing that had happened, what had almost happened. The mere thought of what could have happened sent a shiver down his spine, his heart stuttering in his chest.

"I'm glad," she replied quietly as she sat on the bed beside him. She hesitated for a moment before leaning her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his.

"Did you want anything to eat?" Jace asked, resting his head atop hers. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he tried to relax. "I'm sure I've got snacks somewhere. Or we can just steal Simon's."

Clary shook her head with a sigh. "I think I just want to lay down with you. I don't think I can sleep," she murmured. "But I need you close."

Jace nodded in understanding, shifting them to lie back against the pillows. After making sure Clary was comfortable, he turned off the lights before sliding in beside her. His arms instinctively wrapped around her body, pulling her flush against him. "This alright?" he murmured, rubbing her back gently. "Do you need space?"

"No," Clary sighed, her body relaxing slowly. She leaned her forehead against his broad chest, her eyes closing. "I need you here. I feel like I'm gonna jump out of my skin. I want to jump out of my skin."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he questioned, pressing his face against her vibrant red curls. "Do you want the light on or some music or something?"

"Just hold me please," she answered as she looked up at him, her green eyes meeting his gold ones. "I feel like you're the only thing holding me together right now. That you're keeping the pieces from falling apart."

Jace brushed his lips against her forehead lightly before kissing her. "I won't let that happen. I won't let you break," he promised her. "I'm here now."

"Thank you for saving me," Clary murmured, her hands resting lightly against his chest. "With everything, I never got to say thank you."

He smiled at her gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm always going to look after you," he assured her as she shifted closer to him. He could feel her body relaxing into his, exhausting washing over her heavily in spite of her resistance. Her mind and body knew she needed the rest, needed the escape from what had happened and there was no way for her to fight it. He exhaled softly, closing his eyes. "Try to rest, love. I'm here now; I won't let anything happen to you. We'll handle tomorrow when it comes."

"Jace," she whispered, her grip on his shirt slackening as she fell asleep, her face tucked against his neck.

"Rest, Clary; I'll protect you," Jace murmured, his eyes closing as he let himself follow her into sleep.

* * *

Reviews please!


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